Monsignor Ramkissoon to be inducted into CVSS Hall of Fame

Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon, founder of the Mustard Seed Communities is to be inducted in the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) Hall of Fame at the organisation's biennial awards banquet, scheduled for October 4 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

He is being recognised for his contribution to the upliftment of the poor and vulnerable for four decades. Monsignor Ramkissoon established the Mustard Seed Communities for the purpose of caring for the most vulnerable members of society and those with disabilities who have been abandoned and forgotten.

Monsignor Ramkissoon will be joined by other awardees such as Marilyn Williams, who is being recognised as the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year; Young Women/Young Men of Purpose, for its voluntary contribution to receive the Non-Profit of the Year Award Keenan Falconer, the Young Leader Award and the Jamaican Cancer Society, which will be awarded the CVSS's Member Agency of the Year Award.

Williams is being recognised for her voluntary work with the Jamaica Cancer Society, where she has been involved with the St Ann and St Mary branch since its inception in July 2005. Through her hard work and dedication, the office in Ocho Rios expanded from a small hut to a functioning office serving the communities in St Ann and St Mary.

Career mentorship

Young Women/Men of Purpose, a registered non-governmental organisation, is being acknowledged for the career mentorship and guidance, personal development and entrepreneurship training and support to young women and men between the ages 13 and 32 years in central Jamaica. The organisation is open to young adults who seek advice in selecting their career paths and need guidance on the steps to be taken to achieve them; those facing challenges in their daily lives and requiring moral support to overcome these challenges. Support is also extended to young aspiring who require entrepreneurship training and support to develop their businesses.

Since its establishment in 2009, the organisation has received grant funding and donations of approximately $8 million to execute several community service projects such as the UN-Habitat Urban Youth Fund for the Youth Entrepreneurship Project.

Falconer, the recipient of the Young Leader Award, has served as the chief judge and organiser of 'Inner-City Quiz', an academic quizzing competition designed for children ages seven to 12 who reside in the inner-city communities. He is being awarded for promoting unity and peace building while providing an opportunity for children from these volatile communities to showcase their educational talents and hone their interpersonal communication skills in an environment that fosters healthy rivalry.

In the meantime, the Jamaica Cancer Society is being highlighted for its cancer-control and prevention services that it has been providing to the Jamaican population since 1955.